Radiata Stories : Dimension Doors
by mushy cream
Summary: With Ridley dying at the hands of Aphelion, the crisis to end all humanity has been averted. Jack, having nothing left for him, departs from Radiata. But once again, Jack is called to embark on a journey, a quest to get back his most precious thing.
1. Chapter 1: With the Wind

Disclaimer: I do not own Radiata Stories and all content within that is original to the game. I only own my original characters and content which I place into the story.

Author's Rantings: My first fan fiction about Radiata Stories. Just got inspired by something then decided to type it all down and finally push through with making a story based on one of my favorite games of all time! Hope you guys like it. So, here it is...

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><p>CHAPTER I : WITH THE WIND<p>

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><p>Jack looked at the looming figure of Radiata Castle from where he stood. On his right shoulder, he hung his knapsack that was filled with the same things he had when he first came to the castle-town. He remembered everything clearly, as if it had all happened just a few days ago. He remembered how he joined the Royal Radiata Knight selection trials. He remembered how he had his ass handed to him in the first round, more so by a girl!<p>

Jack couldn't believe it at first. He had trained for that one single day and it was like he barely even put up a fight. At that moment, Jack was ready to go home and just tell his older sister Adele just exactly what happened. But due to the high expectations of Lord Larks, Jack was chosen, as well as the winner of the tournament who was the woman who beat him, Ridley Silverlake.

From there on, Jack had all kinds of adventures. In only a matter of days, he had gone from being a night to a member of Theator Vancoor, the warrior guild. And from there, he thought back on all the jobs and tasks he took on. He even made it to the rank of sergeant after a short amount of time. Jack had earned the respect of many of the members of the guild over the course of his stay within Radiata, even Elwen who led the guild. And then came that fateful night in which he had to choose the path he was to take. It was either to go with Ridley, or to stay in Radiata. Jack thought she was going through a rebellious phase, but apparently, she was serious in siding with the fairy creatures.

But Jack had made his choice. He had chosen to stay in Radiata. And where it led him, Jack regretted. He had to fight innocent people, even have to face those of the fairy creatures who he had made friends with. But the greatest despair that Jack had experienced was not from having to fight his friends but came from the knowledge that he eventually had to fight Ridley.

Jack bit his lips and tried to hold back a whimper as he looked at the castle and collected his thoughts, sifting through his memories. Despite the fact that he was standing here, looking strong and proud, he was devastated deep inside. The memory of Ridley falling after being shot by Aphelion with a magic blast played itself in his head. It was this one moment that if Jack could change that he would do so in a heartbeat. It was so painful to watch Ridley, and to realize how powerless he was in the face of such a creature.

_Aphelion...! _his thoughts screamed out the name he had now hated so much.

But he had defeated Aphelion. He was already gone, as well as all the other dragons. But even if Aphelion did meet death at his hands, Jack did not at all feel satisfied. He loathed himself for all that he had done, and all that he had failed to do. He had chosen to stay with the humans and worse, he failed to protect Ridley. This was all due to him. He kept running it through his head, playing it all out over and over again like a broken record. Where did it all go wrong? Why did this have to happen?

Tears began to roll down his face as the emotions that built up inside of him began to surface. Thinking about what had happened to Ridley really hit the spot. Ever since that battle at the City of White Nights, he had tried to be strong. He held back the smallest urge to cry. But now, what was left for him? Radiata would never be the same for him without Ridley. And even if he had become a well-known public figure, who was there to be at his side after all the hardships and success? Jack did not want to face life alone. He couldn't face a life that didn't have Ridley as part of it.

He let go of his knapsack and let it fall to the ground, keeping the Arbitrator in his grip. He sat down and gazed at his father's legendary blade. After all these years, it had always been there ever since his father, Cairn, had died. It looked the same as always, like it had withstood the wear and tear of the elements and of time. This was the only thing he had left of his father.

"Dad..." he said softly. "What do I do...?" Jack raised the sword in front of him, talking to it like it was a representation of his father.

He stared at the sword for a few seconds and sighed. "Of course. You're nothing but a sword. You'd never answer my questions."

Jack then felt a small rumbling in his stomach. "I guess I really haven't been eating much ever since that night..." he said to himself. He reached for his bag and sifted through whatever he had shoved in it. Luckily for him, there was an entire loaf of bread that he had bought before he left the town. Well, he bought it because he didn't plan on going back to his village anyway.

As he pulled it out, a small piece of folded paper fell onto the ground. He noticed it and picked it up, unfolding it slowly to find that there was something written there. He took a bite out of the loaf and placed it down on his lap then began to read the contents of the letter.

"_Dear Jack,_

_If you are reading this letter, then you may already be far-gone from Radiata. If you are, then I assume that there is not a chance that I can persuade you to stay. I understand what you have been going through. You've lost someone your heart yearns for. You've lost a loved one._

_It hurts deep down, does it not? Does it feel like you want to just take a blade and ram it through your heart so that the pain stops? But know this, Jack... death is not the answer. Wishing for it all to end is never the way to go about things. Even if it does hurt, you need to understand everything that had happened to you. You need to understand what you have done is unchangeable. But most of all, you need to understand what it was you fought for._

_I saw it in you. You fought valiantly on the field of battle but I did not witness any malice in your blows. You wanted to live through it so you decided to fight, but at the same time you also did not want to raise your blade against those who we fought, those who some of which had become your friends. I know the feeling as well... some of them were my friends, as well. But there was something about you that was quite visible... you were fighting for something, no... for someone._

_You raised your blade to defeat them but underneath all that I saw that you were desperately trying to cut a path towards someone. You wanted to fight through everything to get to her. You fought for her, Jack. You fought for her, and that's what matters the most. Your intentions were pure._

_I hope that you will pick yourself up and rise to the occasion like you always do! After all, I did not call you 'the one' for nothing. There is just something about you that tells me that as long as you persevere, good things will happen. Nay, even miracles!_

_So... I propose this to you. Get up and embark on a new adventure to find what you are looking for, or lay down and die. It is your choice. I have departed for the north, to lands unknown to you. I tell you this with confidence that I know you will follow. If you truly want to discover the 'truth', then I know you will heed my call._

_Elwen"_

Jack shoved the last piece of bread into his mouth and stood up. He tore the letter furiously into pieces and let them glide away with the wind. He picked up his sword and his knapsack, and began to walk.

"Looks like the wind is blowing to the north." he said to himself. He began to walk forward once again. This time, not away from his problems, but towards where the wind blew. To the north.

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><p>That's it for the 1st chapter of this story. Hoping that you didn't find it too boring since it's just the starting part.<p>

R&R please~


	2. Chapter 2: Captain, My Captain!

Disclaimer: I do not own Radiata Stories or any content within the game. All I own is my original characters and creations.

Author's Rantings: Here's the 2nd chapter. I found 1 review for the 1st chapter, and well, kinda happy that someone did give a review.

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><p>CHAPTER II : Captain, my captain!<p>

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><p>Jack ceased walking and looked up to the archway which had some letters carved into the wooden plaque. "Solaria." he read out. He continued forward and walked into the unfamiliar town. As he walked down the streets, he saw people going about their business. However, there were a lot more sailors around than normal townsfolk; he saw people clad in seamen uniforms almost everywhere. Then it dawned upon him, wafting into his nose, the smell of salt. It was the sea. From where he stood, the path went slightly downhill and before him he saw the vast expanses of the blue sea, the sun reflected upon the surface and making the water glitter. In the far distance, ships were coming into port, others leaving, and others docked, either being loaded with cargo or having their holds emptied.<p>

"The port town of Solaria." said Jack to himself. "So this is where another journey for me begins." he added.

"Hey there." the voice of a woman caught Jack's attention. "I've never seen you here before." Jack turned to look at her and found her sitting at a small table outside what looked like a cafe. The stranger was drinking some warm tea. She sat with her legs crossed, her chin resting upon her hand supported by her arm. She had long blond hair which fell behind the chair she was sitting in, and her blue eyes just like the sea that Jack has just beheld. She was beautiful.

"Uh..." Jack had no words to reply with. "I..." he was still processing what to answer back. The woman got off her chair and walked towards Jack. As she approached, Jack could see that she was slightly taller than her. Now that she was at full height, Jack scanned her from head to foot. This woman was built, he thought. She had a slender body and a nice full figure.

"Come on, boy." she said. "Speak up!"

Jack tried to grasp at words which were caught in his throat. "Uh... hi?" he said, his tone going off like it was a question. The woman in front of him shot him a look of bewilderment and then just laughed loudly.

"What's so funny?" asked Jack. "N-nothing m-much." she said, still laughing which caused her to stutter as she fought back the urge to laugh even further. She recomposed herself and whipped her hair using her right hand. "Anyway, like I've said. I've never seen you in these parts before." she looked down at Jack who was about only a few inches shorter than her.

Jack looked up at her and was amazed. Her skin seemed to shine in the light. Never had Jack laid eyes on anybody so fair, well, except for Ridley, but this woman had an even fairer and more radiant skin tone. Jack shook his head and let his thoughts become clearer. "Well, I'm a traveler." he said quickly. "Oh?" she sounded interested in what Jack had more to say. "Where'd you come from then?" she asked.

"From Radiata." he gave his answer. "But I'm actually from Solieu village, a small place just outside." he added to his answer.

"Hmmm..." said the stranger. "I've always heard about Radiata." she crossed her arms and raised a brow, recalling some thoughts in her head. "Well, not that many people from that place around here." she said.

"Say, I didn't get your name yet. For what it's worth, I'm... Ellen." she put her hand forward, gesturing that she wanted to shake hands with Jack. He looked down at her hand for a bit and grabbed it. "I'm Jack." he shook it slowly, just about once or twice. "Well then, Jack. What brings you to Solaria on fine day like this?" she asked.

"Well, I'm heading north. And by the looks of things, I'ma gonna be needing to get on a ship." Jack looked at the sea then down to the docks where the ships were. He saw sailors scurrying back and forth, carrying cargo. Some were just sitting there, maybe taking a break or just had nothing to do for the moment. But even so, Jack could see that it was quite a lively town. The smell of the salt in the air once again found its way into his nostrils and he inhaled it deeply. "This place really seems nice." he commented at the sight before him.

"Well, yeah." said Ellen. "Solaria is always nice this time of year. But... not for long." she sounded despondent. "Hmmm?" Jack wondered. "You don't sound too psyched about it."

"Well..." she said. "It's usually nice and sunny around here." she looked up to the sky. "But during these times, a big storm always comes in from the north." she added, her look changing completely from bright and beaming to dark and gloomy. "But it's not the storm that we have problems with..." she added.

"Then what's really the problem here?" Jack got directly to the point. Ellen shot him a glance from the side of her eyes and gave a sigh. "Sea monsters."

"Sea monsters!" exclaimed Jack, a wide smile creeping onto his face. "That sounds so cool!" he excitedly answered.

Ellen was dumbstruck at his answer. The inner dialogue within her told her to face-palm at Jack's reply. "Seriously, Jack?" she asked, still slightly fazed by his immediate and unexpected reaction to sea monsters. "Yeah! Like, seriously!" Jack grinned, determination burning in his eyes.

"So if that's the case, then I'd best get on a boat now and go to sea. If I'm lucky, maybe I'll get to fight one!" the adventurous boy's smile grew even wide, his hazel eyes looking as fierce as ever as he welcomed the notion of a new challenge into his heart. "Bring it on!" Jack ran down the hill, the Arbitrator on his back along with his knapsack.

"..." Ellen stood still. "What the hell was that about!" she yelled out. "Hey, come back here!" she threw her fist in the air, waving it around and then making a run for it, chasing after Jack who was already speeding along down towards the docks.

Jack ceased his running and come to a halt in front of a large wooden ship. It was something he had never laid eyes on before, even in books he had when he was young. Here he was, face to face with a vessel that could possibly take him across the sea, to lands unknown, to the place where Elwen seemed to have called him to. He looked around and saw crates almost everywhere, sailors here and there, and also a lot of cats for some strange reason.

"Heeeeeeeeeeeey!" he heard a voice coming from behind him. A now exhausted Ellen caught up to him, stopping in front of him and huffing for air. "H-how the hell can you have so much energy?" she asked. "I don't know. I'm just excited, is all." Jack speedily replied and continued to look at the large sea vessel. Ellen wiped away the sweat drops that formed on her forehead with the palm of her hand and placed her hand on Jack's shoulder.

"So, I see you've been intrigued by this ship, eh?" said Ellen, looking at the ship as well. "This is the Celestia!" she pointed to the right side of the ship. "See the name?"

"The Celestia." Jack repeated the name. "Hey, does this ship go across the sea? I mean, does it go north?" he asked her. "Well, as a matter of fact, it goes everywhere." answered Ellen. "This ship has sailed waters far and wide. It's been to a lot of places. And lucky for you, I hear that it's going north this time." she gave him a wink and a smile.

"Well then, I'd better go find the captain of the ship." said Jack. He tried to run off again but Ellen gripped his shoulder firmly and stopped him from proceeding forward. "What gives-" Jack blurted out. "Hey, let me go! I need to find the captain!" he started flailing around. "Ellen held out her other hand, palm facing upward. "That'll be 10,000 Dagols!" Jack turned around and tilted his head to the right, like that of a curious dog. "What?" he asked. "Why are you asking me for 10,000 Dagols?"

"I'm the captain of the ship." replied Ellen. Jack was silent for a while.

"Hello?" Ellen waved her hand in front of Jack's face. It was like he was frozen. "Earth to Jack?" she poked him in the sides but he still didn't budge.

"!" Jack suddenly screamed out, placing his hands on top of his head like he was doing a death wail.

"Oh, quit your wailing and let's get on board!" Ellen grabbed Jack by the back of his collar and dragged him along towards the ramp that led up to the ship.

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><p>2nd chapter: DONE! Hope you don't find it dragging... cuz well, I really don't know. I just type down what comes naturally to me. :D<p>

R&R please~


	3. Chapter 3: Ringing Sound of Defeat

Disclaimer: (for the 3rd time) I do not own Radiata Stories.

Author's Rantings: I am enjoying myself with writing these fan fictions. Since I have a day job, being at the office really helps get the creative juices flowing. I hope I can keep being inspired to work on my fics. :D

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><p>CHAPTER III : ringing sound of defeat<p>

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><p>The ship lurched from side to side as it braved the waters of the vast ocean. Jack looked out towards the horizons excitedly, taking in all the scenery even though all he could see was the sun in the sky, seagulls that flew overhead, and the rolling clouds as well as the deep blue sea. There was really nothing much to marvel at. Well, maybe a newbie sailor would be excited his first time around, Jack was just feeling the same thing. Here he was, on a ship heading towards new lands.<p>

"You've been excited since we left port." Jack heard a voice behind him and glanced over his shoulder to find Ellen, now garbed in a different set of clothes. She was wearing a red coat which trailed down all the way to her knees. Black boots which had heels, bringing her height even more above that of Jack's. A rapier dangled at her waist, attached to her belt. The blade was encased in a violet scabbard, the length of it encrusted with ruby gems.

"Hey there Ellen." greeted Jack. He then eyed her sword. "Wow. That thing looks pretty." Ellen put her palm on the hilt. "Oh, this thing?" she said. "Just a family heirloom." she removed the blade from scabbard and held it before Jack.

The blade glistened in the sun, but how it did was not in the way normal swords would. It seemed like the metal which the blade was composed of was of a different type.

"I've never seen a blade glow like that before." Jack stared at it curiously. "It's made of orihalcum." she answered Jack who she knew would ask what her blade was made of. "It's a rare metal from a far-off land. Some say that it's even legendary." she explained. "My father gave me this blade when I came of age. He said that it suited me... and my beauty." she slumped a bit, looking depressed and like a really have anvil fell on her back.

"What's wrong with you?" Jack wondered at her reaction to her own words. "Yeah, I know I'm pretty." she walked forward and leaned against the railings of the ship in the same way Jack did. "But who the hell in the right mind would want a woman who could beat the crap out of him?" her expression changed again, her eye twitching at her annoyance directed towards herself.

"Hahaha!" Jack chuckled a bit and smiled at her. "I knew this girl..." Jack looked down at the blue water. "I applied for the Radiata knight selection trials..." Jack's voice trailed off. "Go on." said Ellen, urging him to speak further. "She beat me. I got my ass handed to me by a woman." he chuckled again, and then went silent for a few moments.

Jack gazed up to the bright blue sky. "I loved her." he said straightly.

"I wonder if I'll get to have a duel with her." Ellen sounded enthusiastic. Jack went gloomy after her remark. "What is it, Jack? Something wrong?" Jack felt a pain in his chest, but he ignored it, hiding his emotions from Ellen. "Nah. Just... remembering a few things. You know, the past." he said and stretched his arms into the air.

"Mmmmmmmm~" Jack stretched his arms, then did a couple of squats to get the blood in his legs flowing. "Well, this is turning out to be a boring trip." he said. "I thought you said there were gonna be sea monsters. Where are they? I wanna get warmed up!" he began to do more stretching exercises, along with that weird little way he rolls his hands in front of him out of excitement.

"We've only been out of port for five hours. We gotten very far." Ellen crossed her arms. "Besides, why the hell are you itching for a fight?" she raised a brow and looked at him. "You'd be lucky to survive an encounter with one!" she chuckled a bit.

"Hah!" replied Jack. "Let's just say that I've had my fair share of dealing with difficult enemies." Jack recalled the time that he had to fight the Dragons. They in themselves were incredibly powerful foes and yet Jack stood up to them. But then again, he had his friends alongside him during those times. Who knows how the battles could have gone if he had been all alone.

"But you know," he said. "I've always had my friends with me during tough times. I know that I could rely on them to watch my back when I was in trouble."

"That's right." Ellen smiled. "Friends are important." she added and placed her hand on Jack's shoulder.

"Captain!" a voice yelled out. "What is it?" Ellen turned to face one of the sailors that had emerged from inside the ship. "It's lunch time." declared the sailor. "Most of the men are done having their fill." he said.

"Aye. We'll get below deck in a bit." she replied. "Thanks, Cap'n!" he answered back. "We wanted to start cleaning the deck and checking up on things up here anyway."

Ellen returned her attention to Jack. "Come on." she said and gestured for him to come along. "Let's have lunch."

Below deck, Jack and Ellen feasted upon an assortment of seafoods. There was a large lobster, an entire plate of shrimps, crabs, fried fishes, you name it! Jack gorged down enormous potions of what was on the table, stuffing himself full of anything that he could shove into his mouth. It's been a while since Jack had eaten like this. Then again, he didn't much get a chance to chow down all he wanted.

"Whoa!" Ellen evaded a large chunk that came flying off of a fish that Jack had been gnawing on. "You're a big eater." she stabbed a piece of fish-meat and placed it into her mouth. "So Jack." she raised a foot, planted it on the chair and rested her arm on it. "What made you want to go on an adventure all of a sudden?"

"Well," Jack chewed on another large piece of fish. "For the thrill of it." Jack gave his reply, obviously a lie. Although he was a bright and cheery boy, a quite open one at that, he didn't feel the need to tell Ellen about why he really was going in his trip. But then again, Elwen was the one who called him to the north, otherwise he would have just wandered around aimlessly. "So you're tellin' me that you just decided to pack up yer' stuff and go on an adventure, just like that, out of nowhere?" she sounded skeptical about his reply.

Jack just smiled and happily shoved more food into his mouth. "Yep!~" he said, swallowing another large chunk. "You're a strange one, Jack." she said, flailing her fork in front of him. "Strange, indeed." she added.

There was nothing much to do on the ship. The crew were all busy going about their tasks ever since they had eaten their lunch. Ellen told Jack that he was free to wander around but then again, where could Jack go? Sure, the ship was big but he had been almost everywhere already during the hours before the ship had left port. He'd wandered around the holds, went around the cabins and even looked around in Ellen's room, the captain's quarters. She even let him steer the ship for a few minutes, Ellen giving Jack directions.

Now there he was, Jack Rusell, the young man who had been on amazing adventure that none of the crew nor Ellen knew off. If they had known about Jack's exploits, they should be thanking him for vanquishing the dragons. Because if the dragons had stayed, maybe even the port town of Solaris would fall prey to the destruction that was to be issued by the Gold Dragon Quasar. There Jack leaned on the railings of the ship, staring out at the horizon which the setting sun had painted a bright and majestic orange. It was a beautiful sight, something he would have gladly enjoyed watching with Ridley beside him.

Getting bored at it all, Jack decided to head below deck and just spend the rest of the day in his room. Maybe he could lay down on his bed and drift off to sleep. But he still had so much energy. On his way to the door which led below, Ellen came out of it. "Oh." she smiled. "There you are Jack!" she seemed excited.

"What?" he asked, pointing at himself in that way he always does. "Is there something on my face?" Ellen smirked. "No, not really." Jack just laughed it off and decided to go to his room. "Hey Jack?" Jack stopped at the doorway and looked back at Ellen. "Hmmm?" he went. "I've been a bit rusty as of late." Ellen stretched her arms in the air. "You wanna duel?" her eyes turned into slits and she looked at Jack as if he was a lifelong rival to her. Jack tilted his head yet again, like a dog, and then brought on that determined look. "Hehe." he laughed arrogantly. "You're gonna get your ass handed to you, Ellen." said Jack quite cockily.

"Oh really?" she played along with his attitude. "What if I tell you that YOU'RE the one who's gonna have his ass handed to him?" she retorted quickly. "Let me go get my sword." said Jack.

A few minutes later, when Jack emerged after wearing some suitable clothing for the duel, he found that the crew had found themselves positioned all around the deck, drinks in hand and merrily cheering for their captain. Some were already drunk and just keeled over onto the floor of the ship, others were singing songs in delight. The place was really lively. He felt as if he was back in Radiata where there was excitement almost every day.

Sword in hand, he walked forward and met with Ellen who was standing there in anticipation. She was picking her teeth with a toothpick and upon seeing Jack flung it into the sea with just a flick of her wrist. She pulled out her sword and pointed it at Jack, inviting him to challenge her.

"No one can beat the captain!" yelled out one of the crew members. "The captain is the best!" another one of the crew followed. "Cap'n Ellen! Cap'n Ellen!" more of them cheered her on.

"Looks like a tough crowd." said Jack jokingly. "But I'm gonna have some fans by the end of the night." he readied himself, getting into his battle stance.

"We'll see, Jack. We'll see." Ellen dropped her arm, positioning her sword beside her. She raised her other hand and gestured at Jack to came at her.

Jack moved quickly. He swung his sword from up high. Ellen met his blade with her own. Jack tried to push down with all his might but Ellen did not budge, the edges of their blades now grinding against each other. Small sparks could be seen from the friction of the where their swords met. In Jack's eyes, the flame of determination burned brightly once again. In fact, he looked quite smug as he always did when fighting against a foe that he knew he could win over.

Ellen saw the look in his eyes. She met his gaze and gave a playful smile. And with that, she let her force go and let Jack's blade come plummeting down. But after she had given in, she did a quick-step backwards to evade Jack's blade. She had succeeded in unbalancing Jack. But Jack being the veteran warrior that he was also knew thing or two when it comes to keeping ones feet on the ground while in combat. He quickly placed his free hand on the ground, stopping his fall, and then doing a one-handed flip forward to regain his footing.

He soared through the air for a bit and as he did, time seemed to slow down for Jack. He focused on Ellen and planned out what to do next in his head. He could land on his feet and once again go at her with a powerful swing, or he could use her own tactic, what she just did, against her. For a moment, those two choices floated around Jack's mind... but he needed to act, and fast. Although there was no danger of him losing his life in this fight, he still did not want to lose. Jack was, after all, a very competitive guy.

With only a few more sends between him and the ground, he landed on his feet and held his sword beside him. He smirked and urged her to come at him with his free hand. Ellen did not budge for a few moments. She was quickly sifting through her thoughts on what course of action to take. Should she indulge him in making the next move? Or should she wait it out and see what Jack would do. The crew grew silent within that moment, all eyes were now on them. What would the other do? Who would fall during the fight? Who would make the mistake of a single wrong move that would change the tide of the duel?

No one knew the answer, but Jack and Ellen stood firmly in their spots. Jack still held his hand up, urging Ellen to charge at him with all his might. A sweat drop began to form on Ellen's forehead and slowly trickled down. She secretly gritted her teeth beneath her closed mouth, making sure to not let Jack see that she was perplexed with what she should do. But he was just taunting her now, him smiling like that at him with his hand making that gesture to come attack.

"What's wrong Ellen?" said Jack. "You-" he stopped short and swung his sword. "Chicken?"

She gave in. She lunged forward with amazing speed. Jack didn't know the real measure of her capabilities, her speed being one, but Jack dodged it perfectly by doing a back-flip. As he did, he kicked her hand which held her sword and put her out of balance as her sword-hand was flung into the air, Ellen nearly losing her grip on her blade.

Ellen was a bit confused, not anticipating that Jack would do such a move. In fact, neither did Jack. He had thought of something completely new, not going with his previous choices. And as Ellen was off balanced, Jack landed firmly on his feet again and closed the gap as quickly as he could. He held his blade just a few inches from her neck, his face now being quite close to hers.

The once silent crew broke their silence with their cheering as the winner of the fight had been decided. And instead of _Captain_, they now screamed a cheered on a name.

"JACK! JACK!" one of the crew yelled at the top of his lungs. "JACK!" the others followed suit.

"I guess I win this one." Jack told Ellen. She just smiled, closed her eyes and let go of her sword, letting it fall to the ground and emit the ringing sound of metal colliding with the surface of her ship. "Yep. You win." 

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><p>Hope you guys liked the third chapter. I assure you, there will be more to come. Till then, cheerio~ LOL<p> 


	4. Chapter 4: A Cliché Adventure At Sea

**DISCLAIMER: **Simple note. I do not own Radiata Stories.

**Author's Drivel: **I. AM. SO. SORRY. I went through a break-up with my long-time girlfriend and really got the wind knocked out of me. I know it's been months since I haven't been around, but I plan to continue this story until the very end. I've been receiving PM's from some of my readers asking me when I would do an update. Well, that update is HERE! So please continue to read and just give me some time to get my shit together. Thanks! ~mushy~

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 4: A Cliché Adventure At Sea<strong>

The crew that had assembled had already dispersed and went about doing whatever it was they needed to do. Jack, however, was sprawled over the deck and exhausted, for a bit at least. He just felt that he needed to rest a bit since he did just come out from a duel with Ellen. As for her, she was at the wheel of the ship, steering it. The sun had already gone down though and the Celestia was cruising smoothly on the night breeze. The stars above looked as beautiful as ever and shown down their light, illuminating the darkness of the sea. The light of the moon reflected upon the surface of the water and made the dark liquid shine like black crystal.

Jack felt his strength return to him and he sat up. He looked to where Ellen was and saw that she had tied the wheel down so that the ship would sail straight. She was already making her way down the stairs to where Jack was. The moon, however, did not make her beauty wane but made it shone even more with its pale light. She was radiant in the sunshine but the lunar beams just brought about another look to her. She had taken off her captain's coat and left her hat back up where the wheel was. As she approached, Jack stood and dusted off his behind, stretching his arms into the air after he did so.

"Great night we're having," she said as she came closer to Jack. "I bet you've never been on a ship at night time." Jack smiled and went over to lean against the railings, looking out to the sea. "Yeah. I've got to say that it's really an amazing sight." His smile turned into a frown for some reason.

"What's wrong?" Ellen asked after she saw the look on his face. "Oh, it's nothing important." he responded, an obvious tone of sadness in his voice. "Is it... something you can tell me?" she asked, a bit hesitant at trying to find out more about the life of the boy that she had just met a few hours ago.

"Oh, it's nothing really. I was just kind of disappointed that there aren't any sea monsters yet." Ellen felt her jaw drop just a bit. How could anyone wish for anything like encountering a sea monster!?

Then again, Jack wasn't your everyday guy. He always thought of himself on a much higher level than others, although we all know that that wasn't always the case with Jack Russell. Still, his spunk and near-endless energy were always something to marvel at. His attitude as well was something to take note of. It's like Jack was in a constant state of happiness and had no worries about him... but little did others know that he just hid them. Only a few people could ever read Jack fully despite the fact that he was already as open as can be and hell as easy to read. His sister came to mind, dear sweet Adele. He wondered how she was doing back home. Then chief Elwen popped up. She too could read him. And then her face... yes, Ridley Silverlake. Jack tried to hold back his frown, not wanting Ellen to try and pry even deeper into what really plagued him deep down inside.

"... Are you an idiot Jack?" she couldn't hold back her words. Immediately Jacked perked up and turned to face her. "Well, I'm not that smart. But I know I'm not stupid either." he smiled a bit. "For some reason I totally expected you to say that." a disappointed look about her.

"It doesn't matter though," she turned on her heel and made her way back up to the ship's wheel. "Enjoy the rest of the night. I'll be up here if you need me." she started to walk up the short flight of stairs.

"That's odd," Ellen suddenly said. "What's a fog bank doing all the way out here in the middle of the ocean?" She untied the rope which held the wheel in place, wore her coat again and placed her hat atop her head. "Hey Jack," she called out to Jack who was still leaning against the ship's port-side railings. "Head inside for a bit. We're entering a fog bank." she said. Jack responded with an okay and made his way below deck. There, the crew were either attending to some of their chores or drinking more ale.

One of the senior crew members approached Jack, a man with a big beer belly and a thick gray beard by the name of Levin. He gave Jack a pat on the shoulder and asked him to take a seat. "So, Jack was it? What brings you all the way out here, me boy?" he asked while taking a swig out of his mug filled to the brim with ale. Jack could smell the alcohol in his breath. It wasn't unpleasant, but it made Jack a bit dizzy to inhale such powerful fumes. "Nothing much. I'm just looking for some excitement." he said, once again a lie.

"Well Jackie-boy. I've seen my share of young'uns like you, all of them seeking fame, fortune, whatever it was that drove them to explore the world. Most of them boys... lost at sea," he said. "But you, Jack, somethin' be about ye that I cann't quite put a finger on."

Suddenly, in that instant, the ship began to rock violently then abruptly came to a halt. Most of the crew that was below deck had been thrown around due to the vibrations. To Jack, it felt like the ship had come into contact with something. A reef perhaps? Or a sandbar? Jack hurried up the stairs and made his way back onto the deck. It was hard to see though due to the thick fog.

"Ellen!" he called out. "Ellen, where are you?" he called out once more. Jack suddenly leaped as a hand suddenly grabbed his shoulder from behind. "I'm right here Jack," It was Ellen who grabbed him. "Why so jumpy?"

"I came up as soon as that shaking stopped. What was that?" Jack turned to face Ellen who wore a rather serious expression. "I never thought the day would come when I would see this thing again." said Ellen.

The fog began to clear a bit. All over the place though there were blue orbs of fire, floating about with an eerie glow. "What the hell is that?" Jack wondered, pointing at one of the floating balls of light. "It's a will-o'-the-wisp," Ellen told him. "Spirits of those long gone from this world yet linger in the physical realm." she added. "This is bad." said Ellen and grabbed Jack's hand. "Let's head back down. Now."

Down below the crew were all huddled together, Levin being in front of all of them whilst still holding his beer mug and taking occasional sips from it. "Mates! Have ye ever heard of the ghost ship?" he asked the crew who had huddled together, seemingly scared of what was going on. There were murmurs here and there, the crew talking among themselves about this so-called phantom ship. "It is said that on nights when the moon is at its brightest, when the sea is sleeping and unable to guard those that traverse it, a ship manned by a crew that is not of this world emerges to collect the innocent souls of mortals unfortunate enough to cross its path."

Levin pulled out a dagger which he stored behind him, strapped to his belt and plunged it deep into the wooden table with much force. "This knife, do ye see it laddies?" he asked, squinting his eyes as he gazed at the crew members that had their eyes glued to the knife. "This knife, I found when I was but a wee lad of 12 oh so many years ago. It was on a night just like this-"

"Levin!" Ellen cut him short from finishing his sentence. "It's here." she said. Levin dropped his beer mug and had about him a dumbfounded expression mixed with fear. "N-no- It can't be!"

"Hey, are we telling ghost stories? Because this one time I went into this place called the Goblin Cemetery and-" Ellen shoved a hand over Jack's mouth to silence him. "This is no simple story, Jack," she said with a dejected look. "This one is true. And I fear I have to face this nightmare again."

"The first sign is already upon us," she said. "The will-o'-the-wisps can already be seen on deck. They're calling to it." Jack managed to free his mouth from Ellen's grasp. "Calling to what?" Jack had a blank yet curious expression.

"The ghost ship."

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><p>Okay, that was a rather short chapter. I don't know why but I got the feeling that I shouldn't get in too deep in this chapter. Rather, I just created a little cliché happening on sea. Well, Jack wanted sea monsters so I gave him a ghost ship instead! XD<p>

That's it for this chapter, although quite short. I'll be sure to try and update again real soon seeing as I know where to take it form here.

~mushy~ signing off for now!


	5. Chapter 5: Not What Was Expected

**DISCLAIMER: **I do not own Radiata Stories.

**Pre-story Chatter: **Well, I am embarrassed to say that I have once again failed to keep to a regular update schedule. *sigh* I've been loaded up with so much work that I can't put my thoughts onto paper properly. Rest assured though, even if it takes me quite long, I will keep updating – and hopefully keep on schedule, and finish this story.

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><p><strong>CHAPTER 5: Not What Was Expected<strong>

The crew was starting to grow restless. Some were in their own little corners of the ship, curled into balls and going to their happy places. Others wore bravery on their sleeves, brandishing their weapons but quick to scream like children once a wisp got too close. Ellen sighed and face palmed whenever that happened and couldn't believe that those that acted to manly were the ones who were actually chicken. She was surprised, however, at Jack whose excitement only seemed to grow as the moments passed.

Jack was smiling, and it wasn't any regular smile – it was that kind of smile in which you just knew he was thinking of something insanely stupid. And the thing about Jack was that when he was thinking of something stupid, chances are, really high chances, that he would act upon his thoughts. Jack was always one to just jump into the action. He was some sort of no-fear, gung-ho, adrenaline infused kid with a penchant for adventure. To Jack, maybe this was what it all was – just one big adventure.

"Jack," Ellen broke her silence. "How can you look so excited?" She couldn't help but wonder what was really going on in that head of his. "Well Ellen," Jack responded, the determination in his eyes seemed to burn like a blazing ember. "The more challenges I get into, I just know my hidden super powers will be unleashed!" Jack said, holding a fist triumphantly in the air.

Ellen raised a single brow at how stupid what Jack said sounded. Super powers? Seriously? Why she even bothered to ask him, she wondered. But alas, they were in a situation in where maybe only Jack's sheer lack of proper conduct (screaming like a little girl) for the moment would carry them through. Ellen had already experienced first-hand Jack's skill with a blade. Based on her observation and experience of course, she could say that Jack could hold his own pretty well in a fight, even if they were going to be fighting hellspawn or whatever was just about to pop up.

"So Ellen, what can you tell me about this ghost ship?" Jack asked, still with that look. "I…" responded Ellen. "I don't really remember much at all. I was a little girl. It was so far back in the past… and such a horrible memory. I spent my childhood just trying to block out those moments."

Jack moved closer to her and placed a hand on her shoulder, a form of reassurance. "Don't worry!" he assured her, giving her a thumbs up. "We'll get through. I wasn't the a Royal Radiata Knight and leader of the warrior guild for nothing." Jack was obviously boasting, but it was working for Ellen. This, however, was the first time that Jack had ever mentioned something of his credentials. Now Ellen wondered if this young man standing beside her was all that great. Sure, he had a goofy look to him and more or less seemed stupid enough to get into things way out of his league. But there was something about Jack that Ellen couldn't quite put her finger on.

A thick fog began to envelope them all, far thicker than what was already present. Ellen drew her sword slowly and stood firmly, a new look present in her gaze outwards to the thick wall of white mass. "It's here."

No sooner than Ellen had let those words loose when a weathered old ship became visible. The wood was rotten, green and brown with decay. The sails were all torn, looking quite foul and menacing with fabric that looked like it was drenched in all sorts of muck. As the ship approached, it creaked in the most eerie way which made some of the crew cringe at the only sound they could hear in the silence of the moment; even the sea seemed to have stilled.

Once it had broken through the wall of fog, it came to a halt beside the Celestia. Jack quickly grabbed a rope that was tied to one of the ship's masts, obviously wanting to board the adjacent vessel. "Jack!" Ellen grabbed his wrist as he climbed onto the railings. "What the hell do you think you're doing!?"

"Trying to get onto the ghost ship, of course." He responded in quite a lively manner. "Only one way to see what's really on it. And that's to get on!" Ellen didn't let go of Jack. She wasn't sure if that was such a bright idea. Reluctantly though, she released her hold on his wrist and just gave him a nod.

Some of the crew got up and rushed to the scene as Jack was just about to swing over with the rope. The men all wore looks of disappointment for themselves. How cowardly they were, grown men who were outmatched by the deep courage of such a young lad. Levin stepped forward from the crowd that had gathered, gritting his teeth with a look of chagrin. "I can't believe that we, grown men and seasoned sailors, can't even muster the courage to do what you do, laddie." He said.

"You could just grab a rope and swing over with me, you know." Jack suggested. "I'm sorry Jackie-boy…" Levin responded disappointedly. "I… I'm a coward."

"Are we seriously having this discussion?" Ellen interjected in a rather annoyed tone. "This ain't time for drama. It's time to get things done." she said and began barking orders left and right. "I want you all to get us underway. Jack will go over and investigate while we ready the ship to move again."

The crew suddenly came alive with renewed vigor. They understood that they should at least do something, even if it was just attending these tasks. "Well, that got them moving." Said Jack as he readied to finally board the ghost ship.

"Jack," Ellen grabbed onto a portion of his tunic. "Take care, ok?" Jack smiled at Ellen's show of concern and went over. After he had landed on the deck of the other ship, he swung the rope back. "I'll be back in a few minutes. Don't worry about me." Ellen nodded and Jack made his way to the best place to start looking – below deck.

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><p>Jack opened the door leading to the lower parts of the ship. Before him were a flight of stairs that didn't really look safe to be walking on. Nonetheless, he had to and he made sure to tread lightly as the wood looked like it might give if too much weight or force was applied to it. Finally reaching the bottom of the stairs, which really wasn't all that far below, he came to a corridor with two doors to the left side and three to the right. At the end of the corridor was another door, most probably the captain's quarters. All the other doors were shut, save for one which happened to be the one to the captain's quarters.<p>

Jack started to make for the first room which was on his right. Drawing his sword before touching the handle, he took a breath and opened it. Inside he saw a moldy old bed, a small desk with a lit candle and a sword propped on the wall. Nothing really out of the ordinary, Jack thought… except for that candle that was lit. Jack went over to the small table and decided to snuff out the flame. To his disappointment though, nothing happened.

"Hmmm…" he went. "I could have sworn that would have done something." After waiting a few more moments, he decided to leave the room and go to the next one.

The next room was one on the left. He entered it in the same manner as he did the first one and found this room was a pantry. It smelled rather foul in there considering that all the food stocks were rotten. Jack made a disgusted face at the smell and quickly moved back out.

He made his way for the third door, on the right side this time. Placing his hand on the handle, he found that it was quite hard to twist and didn't budge at all. Could it have been rusty? Or was this actually a locked door? As Jack tried to get the door open, he heard a faint sound, sort of a whisper in his left ear.

_Jack…_

The voice mentioned his name. Quickly, he turned to his left, bewildered. "Who's there?" Far across from him was the open captain's room, and he saw a streak of gold rush past. "What the-!?" he said. It obviously attracted him so he made his way there.

As Jack made for the door, the ship began to jerk left and right, making him lose his footing a bit and ram into the walls repeatedly. It wasn't really painful for him, just quite annoying since he couldn't move forward. Soon enough, the ship stabilized and Jack could stand normally again, albeit he did feel a bit sick now because of it all.

Swallowing the sour taste building in the back of his throat, he manned up and decided to keep pressing on. The door was just a few steps away now, as well as whatever he saw. What could it have been? What was that golden streak – Jack's eyes flew wide open… could it be?

The thoughts swirled in his mind and gave flight to his feet. Jack was now dashing for the door even if it quite near. He wanted to know – he had to know.

When Jack reached the door and stuck his head in, he was met with nothing but darkness. The lamps filled with small candles that lit the hallway didn't seem to be able to give even the faintest amount of light to illuminate the room. Jack stuck his hand out in the hopes of coming into contact with an object but it was to no avail… there was nothing there.

"Jack…." A faint voice came from within the blackness, and Jack could hear it even if it sounded even weaker than a whisper, as if it was all in his head.

"W-who's there?" Jack pulled out his sword as a precaution. You never knew what kind of crazy things you'd find lurking on a ghost ship.

The same flash of gold Jack had previously seen just moments ago once again appeared, but only for a few seconds. After the golden speck of light had faded, a pair of red orbs came into view, still within the depths of the dark room.

"Who, wait – what are you?" Jack asked. He wanted to step back now but his legs didn't let him. Was this what being enveloped by fear felt like? He kept thinking of wanting to just get out of there, and for the first time in a long time, Jack was genuinely afraid of something. His heart began to race as the orbs of light seemed to be focused on him. Soon enough, the objects he thought were mere crimson balls began to look more like eyes, piercing right through him.

Emerging from the darkness, half of whatever was in front of him revealed its face. Jack's jaw dropped as he stared at who it was before him.

"…Dad?"

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><p>I can honestly say that it has been a while since I've updated. Damn me for my ineptness at being able to stick to my schedule. Anyway, as promised, I will finish this. Another update soon, hopefully.<p> 


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